Fluorescent lighting fixture



Nov. 4, 1941. k sc N I '2,261,187

FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed July 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 KENNETHScar/m)? INVENTOR;

Nov. 4, 1941; K. R. SCRIIBNVER ,1

I FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed July 3, 1940 2 Shets-Sheet 2INVENTOR,

Patented Nov. 4, 1941 FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE Kenneth R. Scribner,Beverly, Mass, assignor to Hygrade Sylvania Corporation, Salem, Mass., acorporation of Massachusetts Application July 3, 1940, Serial No.343,799

This invention relates to electric gaseous discharge lamps and inparticular to apparatus and fixtures for operating such lamps.

Since discharge lamps require certain auxiliary equipment for theirproper operation, provision must be made for a'suitable housingtherefor.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a fixture whichwill adequately provide for all auxiliary equipment.

Another object is to provide a fixture in which all auxiliary equipmentis mounted in or on the housing thus-leaving the reflecting surface freeand clearof any equipment that would tend to mar the reflecting surface.

A further object is to obtain a fixture which will embody the abovefeatures and at the same time provide a maximum of light efficiency.

Further objects and features of this invention will be apparent from thespecifications below, taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Figure 1 is a top view of Figure 2 is a side elevational view ofthe'complete fixture.

Figure 3 is an' end view of 'the complete fixture.

Figure 4 is a side perspective view of the complete fixture.

Figure 5 is a detail of the stiffening strap.

Figure 6 is a perspective view partly in section of the reflectingsection of the fixture.

Figure 7, is aside elevational view in section showing the method inwhich the housing and reflecting sections are joined.

Figure 8 is a detail of the hanging strap.

Figure 9 is a bottom view of the housing section howing the lampsockets, switch sockets, knock-outs, and hanging straps.

Figure 10 is a schematic wiring diagram of the auxiliary equipmentlocated in the housing.

The fixture unit is composed of two separate sections, one being thereflecting surface, I and the other being the housing 2 containing theauxiliary equipment.

'If the sockets 3, 4, 5 and 6 for the lamps l and .8 were attached tothe reflecting surface section I of the fixture, the hard, glossy,enamel, reflecting finish would be susceptible to chipping and scarringwhen the sockets were being ln-' ment. Slots [2 of a size and shape topermit the the complete fixture.

or screws through the reflecting surface.

4 Claims. (01. 240-78) made in the reflector before the enamel or otherreflecting surface is applied thereon. Thus the possibility of scarringor chipping the surface due to the installation of lamp sockets iseliminated. v

A similar situation presents itself with respect to the switches l3which form a part of the starting apparatus. Since a starting switchmust be used in conjunction with each lamp, provision must be made forthem as well as for the lamp sockets. This is done by providing slots.I5 of a size and shape .to allow the insertion therethrough of theswitches into the socket ll and I8, attached to the housing between thelamp sockets. These slots for the switches are located at, a pointbetween the slots for the lamp sockets at each end and ar also insertedbefore the enamel or other reflecting surface is applied.

Keeping in mind at all times the desirability of maintaining thereflecting surface free from screws, nuts, bolts and the like that mighttend to scar or chip it, this invention embodies a means of securelyfastening the housing section to the reflecting section without the useof nuts, bolts The top of the reflector section of the fixture has a Vshaped portion l9 running longitudinally down the middle thereof. Twometal stiffening straps 20 and 2| of a material similar to that fromwhich the fixture itself'is formed, are welded, one at each end, overthe recess formed by the V shaped channel. The channel forms a recessfor the heads of the bolts 22 and 23 which are locked to these straps.These bolts are long enough to extend up through the housing section andfirmly lock it to the reflecting'section.

The hangisg straps 24 and 25 are inserted in the housing section throughthe slots 28, 29 and insertion therethrough' of the lamp sockets are 530 and 3| in such a manner that holes in these straps will coincide withthe holes 26 and 21 in .the housing. It is through these holes that 'thebolts 22 and 23 fastened to the stiffening straps 20 and 2| pass whenthe reflecting and housing sections are joined together. By thus helpingin distributing the weight of the reflector sectionfpulling on thehousing section these straps perform a two-fold function for'their ears32, 33, 34 and 35 provide a means by which the fixture as a whole may besuspended when in use.

The housing section is of a length slightly greater than the length ofthe lamps. The lamp sockets 3, 4, 5 and 6 are mounted opposite eachother at both ends of the housing by means of screws of the like. Switchsockets I1 and I8 are similarly fixed at each end between the two lampsockets. Thus, when the two sections are joined together, the lampsockets slide through the slots provided therefor in the reflectingsurface and the switch sockets are positioned so that they may receivethe switches through the slots provided therefor between the slots forthe lamp sockets.

The wiring connections from these lamps and switch sockets run towardsthe center 36 of the housing section which is recessed sufliciently tocarry the ballast auxiliary or similar equipment, and still allow for aflush mounting of the housing section on the reflecting section.Knock-outs 31, 38, 39 and 40 are provided at various points in thehousing for line connection purposes.

The V shaped section l9 which runs longitudinally down the middle of thereflector serves other purposes besides providing channel for the headsof the bolts which look the reflector and housing sections. It acts as astiffening unit thus strengthening the whole reflector. Since thereflector and the V shaped section are parabolic in section with thelamps as focal points, the lamps fill the reflector with light leavingno dark spots in the reflector.

Another feature of the fixture in my invention is that, by reason of itsassembly, the reflector section may readily be taken down and cleanedwithout the necessity of severing any wiring connections or taking apartany of the auxiliary equipment. All that is necessary is to remove thelamps from their sockets and remove the nuts which are screwed onto thebolts joining the reflector to the housing.

Thus in the fixture in my invention, there are but two separate sectionswhich go to make up the entire fixture and these are joined in a mannerwhich obviates any possibility of scarring or chipping the reflectingsurface and eliminates the necessity of screws, nuts, bolts or the likeappearing on the reflecting surface.

In Figure 10, a schematic wiring diagram, the lamps 7 and 8 areconnected in parallel to the lead-in wires 4| and 42 of the line. Theelectrode 43 of the lamp 1 is connected to the lead-in 4| of the linethrough the inductance 44 and the condenser 45. The electrode 46 of thelamp 8 is connected to the lead-in 4| of the line through the inductance41. The electrode 43 of the lamp 1 is connected to the electrode 48 ofthe same lamp through a switch circuit consisting of an inductance 49, acondenser 50, a resistance 5| and a bimetallic strip 52. lamp 8 isconnected to the electrode 53 of the same lamps through a switch circuitconsisting of a condenser 54, a resistance 55, and a bime- The electrode46 of the v tallic strip 56. Both of these switch circuits are normallyopen. The electrodes 48 of lamp 1 and 53 of lamp 8 are connected withthe lead-in 42 of the line. This circuit is designed to reducestroboscopic effect in the same manner as described in the United StatesPatent No. 2,195,114 issued March 26, 1940.

What I claim is:

1. An electric lighting fixture for two elongated tubular lamps, saidfixture comprising: electrical control apparatus for said lamps, ahousing unit for said apparatus, two lamp sockets extending out of eachend of said housing, a strap for hanging said fixture attached to saidhousing with the ears of said strap projecting up through said housing,a concave reflector having a parabolic lateral cross-section with aV-shaped center portion, said reflector having slots therein, throughwhich said lamp sockets project, a strap across said V-shaped centerportion, and a bolt through said latter strap and through the strap forhanging said fixture.

2. An electric lighting fixture for two elongated tubular lamps, saidfixture comprising: electrical control apparatus for said lamps, ahousing unit for said apparatus, two lamp sockets extending out of eachend of said housing, a strap for hanging said fixture attached to saidhousing with the ears of said strap projecting up through said housing,a concave reflector having a parabolic lateral cross-section with aV-shaped center portion, said reflector having slots therein, throughwhich said lamp sockets project, a strap across said V-shaped centerportion and means to join said housing unit and reflector through saidstrap for hanging said fixture and said strap across the V-shaped centerportion.

3. The combination of claim 2 in which said lamp sockets project throughsaid reflector to hold the lamps at the foci of the parabolas which formthe parabolic lateral cross-section of said reflector with the V-shapedcenter portion between the lamps.

4. An electric lighting fixture for elongated tubular lamps, saidfixture comprising: electrical control apparatus for said lamps, ahousing unit for said apparatus, a concave reflector having a paraboliccross-section with a V-shaped center portion, two lamp sockets extendingoutward from each end of said reflector; a strap across said V-shapedcenter portion, and a bolt through said latter strap to hold saidreflector to said housing.

KENNETH R. SCRIBNER.

